Enclosure for a hydrogen circulation pump and the hydrogen circulation pump including therefrom

Abstract

This application relates to an enclosure for a hydrogen circulation pump, comprising: a body portion and an end cap portion, the body portion and the end cap portion being connected to each other to jointly define a cylindrical chamber for accommodating an impeller of the hydrogen circulation pump and an inlet passage for guiding hydrogen into the pump. At least a portion of the periphery of the cylindrical chamber protrudes radially outward relative to the remainder of the cylindrical chamber to form a radial passage in fluid communication with the inlet passage. This application also relates to a hydrogen circulation pump, comprising: the aforementioned enclosure, an impeller housed within the cylindrical chamber; and a motor housed within the enclosure, the motor's drive shaft capable of driving the impeller to rotate within the cylindrical chamber; the impeller cooperating with the end cap portion and the body portion respectively to define first and second flow channels for hydrogen flow located on opposite axial sides of the impeller. Using the technical solution of this application, hydrogen can flow through different portions of the inlet passage to opposite axial sides of the impeller with low flow resistance, increasing the flow rate while improving the performance of the hydrogen circulation pump.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of fuel cells, and more specifically, to a housing for a hydrogen circulation pump for a fuel cell system and a hydrogen circulation pump including the housing. Background Technology

[0002] A hydrogen recirculation pump is used to circulate hydrogen on the anode side of a hydrogen fuel cell. Its function is to pressurize unreacted hydrogen at the anode outlet and circulate it back to the anode inlet for recovery, thus maximizing hydrogen reuse. Typically, a hydrogen recirculation pump consists of a motor and a pump head. The motor is connected to an impeller in the pump head via a drive shaft, causing the impeller to rotate as the drive shaft rotates, thereby circulating the hydrogen.

[0003] In existing hydrogen circulation pumps, a single-channel impeller is typically used, with semi-circular blades fixed at the tail end by an end plate. This semi-circular blade forms a single flow channel for hydrogen delivery between itself and the pump's enclosed casing, resulting in a limited gas flow rate and thus impacting the overall efficiency and performance of the hydrogen circulation pump. To address this issue, engineers often modify the single-channel impeller to provide an open dual-channel design to improve the gas flow rate. However, in this design, the hydrogen entering the circulation pump still needs to pass through small gaps between the impeller grilles to enter a second flow channel of the impeller, farther from the inlet. These small gaps lead to high flow resistance, further reducing the performance of the hydrogen circulation pump.

[0004] It should be noted that the "Background Art" paragraph is only used to help understand the content of this utility model. Therefore, the content disclosed in the "Background Art" paragraph may include some prior art that is not known to those skilled in the art. The content disclosed in the "Background Art" paragraph does not mean that the content or the problem to be solved by one or more embodiments of this utility model was known or recognized by those skilled in the art before this utility model application. Utility Model Content

[0005] To overcome the aforementioned problems in the prior art, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a sealing shell for a hydrogen circulation pump in a fuel cell system and a hydrogen circulation pump including the sealing shell, so that the hydrogen flowing into the hydrogen circulation pump can flow to opposite sides of the impeller in the axial direction through different parts of the air inlet channel with relatively small flow resistance, thereby increasing the flow rate and improving the performance of the hydrogen circulation pump.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a housing for a hydrogen circulation pump is provided, comprising: a body portion and an end cap portion, the body portion and the end cap portion being connected to each other to jointly define a cylindrical chamber for accommodating an impeller of the hydrogen circulation pump and an inlet passage for guiding hydrogen into the pump, wherein at least a portion of the periphery of the cylindrical chamber protrudes radially outward relative to the remainder of the cylindrical chamber to form a radial passage in fluid communication with the inlet passage.

[0007] Preferably, an air inlet is provided on the end cap portion, and the air inlet extends toward the interior of the enclosure shell in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the cylindrical chamber to form the air intake channel.

[0008] Preferably, the projection of the air intake passage in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction protrudes at least partially radially outward from the cylindrical cavity compared to the projection of the cylindrical cavity in the same plane.

[0009] Optionally, the projection of the air intake passage in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction is opposite to the cylindrical chamber, such that the air intake passage communicates with the radial passage via an additional curved transition section.

[0010] Optionally, an air inlet is provided on the outer periphery of the enclosure, and the air inlet extends radially toward the interior of the enclosure along the cylindrical chamber to form the air intake channel.

[0011] Preferably, the body portion and the end cap portion also jointly define an exhaust passage for discharging pressurized hydrogen, the exhaust passage being in fluid communication with an additional radial passage that projects radially outward from another portion of the periphery of the cylindrical chamber.

[0012] Preferably, a groove distributed circumferentially is formed on the side of the end cap that is close to the cylindrical chamber, and the groove is shaped to match one side of the impeller to form a first flow channel for hydrogen flow.

[0013] Preferably, a groove distributed circumferentially is formed on the side of the body portion close to the cylindrical chamber, the groove being shaped to match the opposite side of the impeller to form a second flow channel for hydrogen flow.

[0014] Preferably, the plane at which the body portion and the end cap portion mate and connect coincides with a central plane of the impeller, and the central plane is perpendicular to the axial direction of the impeller.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, a hydrogen circulation pump is provided, comprising: a sealed housing as described above; an impeller housed in the cylindrical chamber; and a motor housed in the sealed housing, wherein the drive shaft of the motor is capable of driving the impeller to rotate in the cylindrical chamber; wherein the impeller cooperates with the end cap portion and the body portion respectively to define a first flow channel and a second flow channel for hydrogen flow located on both axial sides of the impeller.

[0016] Further features and advantages of this invention are described in detail in specific embodiments and are the subject of the appended dependent claims. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The above and other aspects of this utility model will now be understood and appreciated more thoroughly in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are provided for illustrative purposes only and depict only typical or exemplary embodiments. The dimensions, scale relationships, and number of parts or components in the drawings are not intended to limit the utility model. These drawings are provided to facilitate an understanding of the concepts disclosed herein and should not be construed as limiting the breadth, scope, or applicability of these concepts. Wherein: Figure 1A and Figure 1B A perspective view of a single-channel impeller used in the prior art and a schematic cross-sectional view of the single-channel impeller being fitted into a hydrogen circulation pump are shown respectively. Figure 2A An improved impeller structure is shown, accordingly. Figure 2B A schematic diagram showing the view from the end cap of the hydrogen circulation pump is shown, and Figure 2C It shows along Figure 2B The partial cross-sectional view obtained by line AA shows the flow path of hydrogen from the air inlet provided on the end cap to the impeller; Figure 3A A schematic diagram showing the end cover portion of a hydrogen circulation pump according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 3B It shows along Figure 3A The cross-sectional view obtained from line BB shows the body and end cover of the impeller and the enclosure of the hydrogen circulation pump. Figure 4A It shows Figure 3A and Figure 3B A perspective view of the impeller used in the illustrated embodiment; and Figure 4B It shows along Figure 4A The section view obtained from the CC line. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To make the objectives, features, and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the use of ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" in the specification, claims, and drawings of this utility model is for distinguishing similar objects and is not necessarily for describing a specific order or sequence. Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps described in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this utility model.

[0019] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Furthermore, techniques and devices known to one of ordinary skill in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques and devices should be considered part of the specification.

[0020] For clarity and conciseness, in this document, "axial" refers to the direction in which the drive shaft of the hydrogen circulation pump extends along its length or is parallel to it; "radial" refers to the direction extending from the center of the impeller hub towards the outer periphery of the impeller; and "circumferential" refers to the direction extending around the periphery of the object being referred to. Furthermore, "inward" refers to the direction from the outside of the hydrogen circulation pump or its enclosure towards the inside; conversely, "outward" refers to the direction from the inside of the hydrogen circulation pump or its enclosure towards the outside.

[0021] Reference Figure 1A and Figure 1BThe diagram shows a perspective view of a single-channel impeller 100 used in the prior art and a schematic cross-sectional view of the impeller 100 being fitted into a hydrogen recirculation pump (some components are omitted for simplicity). As described above, this hydrogen recirculation pump is typically used in the anode loop subsystem of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) to redirect excess hydrogen from the reaction to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack, thereby increasing hydrogen utilization efficiency. The impeller 100 includes a hub 101 located at the center of the impeller 100 and having a through-hole 102 extending through the impeller 100. A drive shaft 130 of a motor is configured to be inserted into the through-hole 102 and connected to the hub 101 without relative rotation, thereby driving the hub 101 and thus the entire impeller 100. The impeller 100 has a first side 110 and a second side 120, wherein the first side 110 is mounted axially closer to the air inlet 131 provided on the end cap, while the second side 120 is mounted axially further away from the air inlet 131. Further as shown in the figure, the first side 110 includes a first end (front end) of the hub 101 and a flow channel 111, wherein the first end is located at the center of the entire first side 110, and the flow channel 111 extends radially outward from the first end and has several arc-shaped sub-flow chambers 111a separated by blades. On the other hand, the second side 120 also includes a bottom surface 122 and a raised surface 123. The bottom surface 122 is recessed axially relative to the second end of the hub 101, while the raised surface 123 is located at the outermost radial direction of the second side 120 and forms the outer contour of the sub-flow cavity 111a (i.e., the sub-flow cavity 111a is formed by the raised surface rising from the first side 110 towards the second side 120 and separated by blades). For example, the blades can be in the form of semi-circular or arc-shaped baffles, but are not limited thereto. Opposite to the first side 110, the end cap of the hydrogen circulation pump is provided with at least two openings. One, shown in the figure, is configured as an inlet 131 to introduce excess hydrogen into the flow channel 111 and pressurize it, while the other (not shown) is configured as an outlet, so that the pressurized hydrogen is discharged from the outlet and further circulated to the anode inlet of the fuel cell stack. As described in the background section, this configuration of the hydrogen circulation pump provides a limited gas flow rate, thus affecting efficiency and performance.

[0022] To effectively increase gas flow rate, existing work typically focuses on improving impeller structure. For example, Figure 2A An improved impeller structure is shown, and accordingly... Figure 2B A schematic diagram is shown, viewed from the end cap of the hydrogen circulation pump. Figure 2C It shows Figure 2B A partial cross-sectional view obtained along line AA shows the flow path of hydrogen from the inlet 203 located on the end cap to the impeller 200. Figure 2AAs can be seen, the impeller 200 adopts an open design, having a hub 201 and a plurality of blades 202 extending radially outward from the hub 201 and evenly distributed circumferentially along the impeller 200. Each blade 202 is divided into a first half 202a and a second half 202b by an imaginary central plane S extending perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the impeller 200. The intersection line of the first half 202a and the second half 202b on the imaginary central plane S defines a ridge 202c, and the blades extend obliquely from the ridge 202c toward the same side at a certain angle, so that when the impeller 200 is installed in a hydrogen circulation pump, it can, together with the enclosure housing, define two flow channels for hydrogen flow located on both sides of the imaginary central plane S.

[0023] although Figure 2A The impeller 200 shown can provide two flow channels for hydrogen flow. In other words, hydrogen flowing in through the inlet 203 of the hydrogen circulation pump can reach both the side of the impeller 200 near the inlet 203 and the opposite side of the impeller 200 away from the inlet 203, passing over the imaginary center plane S at the junction of the two halves of the blade 202. However, combined with... Figure 2C As shown (see dashed arrow), hydrogen flowing in through inlet 203 must pass through a small gap between adjacent blades 202 to reach the flow channel located on the opposite side of impeller 200. This small gap will result in higher flow resistance, especially when there are many blades 202 in impeller 200, thereby reducing the performance of the hydrogen circulation pump.

[0024] In order to reduce the flow resistance of hydrogen into the hydrogen circulation pump and improve the applicability of the hydrogen circulation pump to various types of double-sided impellers, this utility model improves the enclosure of the existing hydrogen circulation pump. Figure 3A A schematic diagram showing the end cover portion of a hydrogen circulation pump according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 3B It shows along Figure 3A The image shows a cross-sectional view of the impeller mating with the body and end cap of the enclosed housing of the hydrogen circulation pump, obtained from line BB (the remaining internal components of the hydrogen circulation pump are not shown for clarity). Accordingly, Figure 4A and Figure 4B They are shown respectively Figure 3A and Figure 3B The impeller used in the diagram is shown in a three-dimensional view and a partial sectional view.

[0025] Referring to the above figures, the hydrogen circulation pump includes a sealed housing 40, an impeller 300, and a motor (not shown in detail). The sealed housing 40 is formed by a body portion 40a and an end cap portion 40b that are connected to each other and defines a cylindrical chamber 41 for accommodating the impeller 300. Compared to Figure 1ACompared to the existing impeller 100 shown, this embodiment employs a double-sided impeller 300, meaning the impeller 300 can be symmetrical about an imaginary central plane extending perpendicular to its axis of rotation (see the description below for specific structure). The impeller 300 has a central hub 301, and the hub 301 has a through hole 302 penetrating the impeller 300. The motor drive shaft 130 is configured to insert into the through hole 302 of the impeller 300 and connect to the hub 301 without relative rotation, so that the motor drives the drive shaft 130 to rotate the impeller 300. On the other hand, the body portion 40a, preferably, has a mounting hole at its center, and the body portion 40a is fitted onto the drive shaft 130 through the mounting hole so that the rotation of the drive shaft 130 cannot drive the body portion 40a to rotate. A bearing located in the mounting hole is provided between the body portion 40a and the drive shaft 130 to reduce friction between the drive shaft 130 and the body portion 40a when the drive shaft 130 rotates. In addition, a sealing ring is provided between the main body 40a and the drive shaft 130 for sealing the main body 40a and the drive shaft 130.

[0026] The end cap 40b mates with and is mounted on the opening at one axial end of the body 40a. After the end cap 40b and body 40a are engaged, a cylindrical chamber 41 is formed between the body 40a and the end cap 40b to accommodate the impeller 300 (its periphery is...). Figure 3A (Schematally shown as a dashed circle). The cylindrical chamber 41 and the two symmetrical halves of the impeller 300 define flow channels F1 and F2 along the axial direction located on both sides of the imaginary central plane P of the impeller 300 for hydrogen flow (details are described below). Further, an inlet 403 is provided on the end cap 40b to introduce excess hydrogen from the reaction into the aforementioned flow channels and pressurize it under the rotation of the impeller 300; and an outlet 404 to discharge the pressurized hydrogen from the hydrogen circulation pump and circulate it to the anode inlet of the fuel cell system stack. To reduce the flow resistance encountered by the hydrogen entering through the inlet 403 as it flows into the flow channels inside the hydrogen circulation pump, and... Figure 2C Compared to the configuration shown, the method adopted in this utility model is as follows: a radial channel 403b is added at the connection between the air inlet channel 403a extending axially from the air inlet 403 toward the interior of the hydrogen circulation pump and the cylindrical chamber 41 to connect the flow channels F1 and F2 located on both sides of the imaginary center plane P of the impeller 300 along the axial direction. The radial channel 403b is formed by extending the periphery of the cylindrical chamber 41 (see...) Figure 3A At least a portion of the cylindrical chamber 41 (i.e., the portion of the cylindrical chamber that intersects with the intake passage 403a extending from the intake port 403) is formed by extending further outward along the radial direction of the cylindrical chamber 41 relative to the remainder of the periphery. Specifically, in combination with Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, the air inlet 403 is located closer to the periphery on one end face of the end cap portion 40b along the axial direction, and the projection of the air intake passage 403a extending axially from the air inlet 403 toward the interior of the hydrogen circulation pump in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction is at least partially radially outward from the periphery of the cylindrical chamber 41 compared to the projection of the cylindrical chamber 41 in the same plane. Figure 3A The central part is shown as a radially outward protrusion relative to the cylindrical chamber 41, thus forming Figure 3B The radial channel 403b is shown in the diagram. Combined with the hydrogen flow path shown by the dashed lines, it can be seen that excess hydrogen after the reaction first flows into the inlet channel 403a through the inlet 403 provided on the end cap 40b, and flows axially towards the intersection of the inlet channel 403a and the cylindrical chamber 41. After reaching the intersection, a portion of the hydrogen reaches the first flow channel F1 of the impeller 300 near the end cap 40b via a part of the inlet channel 403a, while another portion of the hydrogen further travels axially towards the interior of the hydrogen circulation pump via the radial channel 403b, which protrudes radially relative to the rest of the cylindrical chamber 41, to reach the second flow channel F2 of the impeller 300 away from the end cap 40b. Compared with the prior art, the inlet channel 403a designed in this invention can ensure that hydrogen is supplied to both sides of the impeller 300 axially, and can reduce the flow resistance encountered during the supply process, because the hydrogen does not need to be... Figures 2A to 2C The configuration shown does not require the flow to pass through the gaps between the blades, but instead supplies hydrogen directly via a radial channel 403b that protrudes radially relative to the rest of the cylindrical chamber 41, thus improving the overall performance and efficiency of the hydrogen circulation pump.

[0027] The following combination Figure 4A and Figure 4B Applicable to Figures 3A to 3B A double-sided impeller structure according to the illustrated embodiment will be described. (and...) Figure 1AUnlike the single-sided impellers in the prior art shown, this impeller 300 can be symmetrical about an imaginary central plane P extending perpendicular to its axis of rotation. The impeller 300 is mounted on a drive shaft 130 and located within a cylindrical chamber 41 defined by the mating body portion 40a and end cap portion 40b, and is capable of rotating within the cylindrical chamber 41 under the drive of the drive shaft 130. The impeller 300 has a first side 310 near the end cap portion 40b and an opposite second side 320 away from the end cap portion 40b along the axial direction. When the impeller 300 mates with the enclosure shell 40 formed by the body portion 40a and end cap portion 40b, the first side 310 mates with the end cap portion 40b, and the second side 320 mates with the body portion 40a to define two flow channels F1 and F2 for hydrogen flow, respectively located on either side of the imaginary central plane P. Taking the first side 310 as an example, it includes a hub 301 located in the center and a flow channel portion 311 extending radially outward from the hub 301 and surrounding the periphery of the hub 301. The flow channel portion 311 is recessed axially from the first side 310 of the impeller 300 to form, for example, a semi-circular recessed groove, and a plurality of blades whose shapes match the recessed groove divide the flow channel portion 311 into a plurality of sub-flow cavities 311a. It is understood that each blade can be detachably connected to the flow channel portion 311 or integrally formed with the flow channel portion 311. The cross-sectional shape of each blade and the recessed groove can also be selected as other shapes, such as an arc shape, as needed. Preferably, a through drain hole 312 is provided between the corresponding sub-flow chambers provided on the first side 310 and the second side 320, so that the liquid water generated during the fuel cell reaction and input into the hydrogen circulation pump can be discharged from one side of the impeller 300 to the other side by gravity, and discharged through the flow channel on the corresponding side. This can prevent the liquid water accumulated in the sub-flow chamber from freezing at low temperature, thereby reducing the risk that the hydrogen circulation pump cannot start normally.

[0028] Further, see Figure 3BA groove 40b1 (e.g., also semi-circular) is provided circumferentially in the end cap portion 40b, which is complementary to the shape of the recessed groove provided on the first side 310 of the impeller 300, so that in the installed state, the groove 40b1 matches the aforementioned recessed groove to form a first flow channel F1 with a circular cross-section; and a groove 40a1 (e.g., also semi-circular) is also provided circumferentially in the body portion 40a, which is complementary to the shape of the recessed groove provided on the second side 320 of the impeller 300, so that in the installed state, the groove 40a1 matches the aforementioned recessed groove to form a second flow channel F2 with a circular cross-section. Except for the first flow channel F1 and the second flow channel F2 being connected via the aforementioned radial channel 403b near the hydrogen inlet and outlet channels, the first flow channel F1 and the second flow channel F2 are closed circular pipes at other locations around the impeller 300. This allows the gas in the flow channels to rotate at high speed during operation, thereby enabling the hydrogen circulation pump to better absorb and compress the gas, thus improving overall performance and efficiency.

[0029] It should be noted that this utility model is not limited to the specific structure described above, but can be modified in various ways.

[0030] For example, in a preferred embodiment, it is Figures 4A to 4B The principle and operation of this utility model are explained and illustrated using the double-sided impeller 300 shown as an example. However, this utility model is not limited to this; any form of double-sided impeller can be used as long as there is a radial channel connecting the two flow channels defined by the mutual cooperation between the impeller and the body portion and end cap portion of the enclosure shell. Figure 2A The impeller 200 shown is an example. In this invention, the "double-sided" impeller does not mean that the impeller itself must be structurally strictly symmetrical about an imaginary central plane, but rather that the impeller has a structure on both sides along the axial direction that can pressurize the incoming hydrogen gas.

[0031] In addition, such as Figure 3BAs shown, in the preferred embodiment, the imaginary center plane P of the impeller 300 coincides exactly with the plane where the interface of the body portion 40a and the end cap portion 40b is located. In other words, when the body portion 40a and the end cap portion 40b are connected to form the enclosure shell 40, each part accommodates exactly half of the impeller 300. This design facilitates the machining at the interface of the body portion 40a and the end cap portion 40b and reduces the tolerance between them and the impeller during assembly. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It is conceivable that the proportion of the assembled impeller accommodated in the body portion and the end cap portion can be flexibly allocated according to the axial extension dimensions of the impeller, the body portion, and the end cap portion. For example, the impeller can be entirely accommodated in the cylindrical chamber 41 machined in the body portion 40a, thereby reducing the axial thickness of the end cap portion 40b (in this case, only the groove complementary to the shape of the recessed groove provided on the first side 310 of the impeller needs to be machined in the end cap portion), and vice versa.

[0032] exist Figures 3A to 3B In the preferred embodiment shown, an air inlet 403 is provided at a position away from the center of the end cap 40b, such that the projection of the air intake channel 403a extending axially from the air inlet 403 toward the interior of the hydrogen circulation pump in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction is at least partially radial (especially outward) than the projection of the cylindrical chamber 41 in the same plane. Similarly, to facilitate the discharge of pressurized hydrogen from both sides of the impeller from the hydrogen circulation pump, an air outlet 404 is provided at a position away from the center of the end cap 40b and is structurally designed similarly to the air inlet 403 to provide additional radial channels to reduce flow resistance during exhaust, which will not be described in detail here.

[0033] Regarding the location and arrangement of the air inlet and outlet, this utility model is not limited to the technical solutions defined in the above preferred embodiments. Taking the air inlet as an example, in Figure 3A In the illustrated embodiment, the projection of the intake passage 403a, extending axially from the intake port 403 toward the interior of the hydrogen circulation pump, in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction, protrudes at least partially radially (partially outward) compared to the projection of the cylindrical chamber 41 in the same plane. It is conceivable that the intake port 403 could also be positioned radially further inward than in the illustrated embodiment, such that the projection of the aforementioned cross-section faces the cylindrical chamber. Accordingly, the intake passage 403a, extending axially from the intake port 403 toward the interior of the hydrogen circulation pump, could communicate with the aforementioned radial passage 403b via a transitional bend additionally machined in the end cap portion. In addition to... Figure 3AIn addition to the end face of the end cap 40b arranged axially as shown, it is also conceivable that the air inlet be located on the outer peripheral surface of the assembled enclosure, so that the air intake channel extending radially inward from the air inlet communicates with the aforementioned radial channel 403b that protrudes radially outward relative to the other parts of the cylindrical chamber. In this way, excess hydrogen gas from the reaction can flow radially inward through the air intake channel and then through the radial channel 403b to reach the flow channels on both sides of the impeller. The air outlet can also be arranged in a similar manner, and will not be described further here. Optionally, compared to the embodiment shown in the figure where the air inlet and / or air outlet are located on the end cap, the air inlet and / or air outlet can also be located, for example, on the body, as long as the air intake channel extending from the air inlet and / or the exhaust channel extending from the air outlet can communicate with the aforementioned radial channel. It is foreseeable that the number of air inlets and outlets is not limited. At least one air inlet and outlet can be flexibly set according to actual needs. Hydrogen can be diverted to different air inlets through branch lines and then transported into the hydrogen circulation pump. Pressurized hydrogen discharged through different outlets can be circulated to the anode inlet of the fuel cell system through the main pipeline.

[0034] The foregoing description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, details a feasible but non-limiting embodiment of a hydrogen circulation pump according to the present invention, including the enclosure housing and the hydrogen circulation pump comprising the enclosure housing. Modifications and additions to the technology and structure, as well as recombinations of features in the various embodiments, should be considered within the scope of the present invention by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure set forth in the following claims. Therefore, such modifications and additions conceivable under the teachings of the present invention should be considered part of this disclosure. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the following appended claims and includes equivalent technologies known at the filing date of this disclosure and equivalent technologies not yet foreseen.

Claims

1. A sealing housing (40) for a hydrogen circulation pump, characterized in that, include: The body portion (40a) and the end cap portion (40b) are connected to each other to define a cylindrical chamber (41) for accommodating the impeller (300) of the hydrogen circulation pump and an air inlet passage (403a) for guiding hydrogen into the pump. At least a portion of the periphery of the cylindrical chamber (41) protrudes radially outward relative to the rest of the cylindrical chamber (41) to form a radial passage (403b) in fluid communication with the air inlet passage (403a).

2. The enclosure (40) according to claim 1, characterized in that, An air inlet (403) is provided on the end cap (40b), and the air inlet (403) extends toward the interior of the enclosure shell (40) in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the cylindrical chamber (41) to form the air intake channel (403a).

3. The enclosure (40) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The projection of the air intake passage (403a) in a plane perpendicular to the axis of view protrudes at least partially radially outward from the projection of the cylindrical chamber (41) in the same plane compared to the projection of the cylindrical chamber (41).

4. The enclosure (40) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The projection of the air intake passage (403a) in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction is directly opposite the cylindrical chamber (41), such that the air intake passage (403a) communicates with the radial passage (403b) via an additional curved transition section.

5. The enclosure (40) according to claim 1, characterized in that, An air inlet is provided on the outer periphery of the enclosure (40), and the air inlet extends radially toward the interior of the enclosure (40) along the cylindrical chamber (41) to form the air intake channel.

6. The enclosure (40) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The body portion (40a) and the end cap portion (40b) also jointly define an exhaust passage for discharging pressurized hydrogen gas, the exhaust passage being in fluid communication with an additional radial passage that protrudes radially outward from another portion of the periphery of the cylindrical chamber (41) along the cylindrical chamber (41).

7. The enclosure (40) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, A groove distributed circumferentially is formed on the side of the end cap portion (40b) that is close to the cylindrical chamber (41). The groove is shaped to match one side of the impeller (300) to form a first flow channel (F1) for hydrogen flow.

8. The enclosure (40) according to claim 7, characterized in that, A groove distributed circumferentially is formed on the side of the body part (40a) close to the cylindrical chamber (41), and the groove is matched in shape to the opposite side of the impeller (300) to form a second flow channel (F2) for hydrogen flow.

9. The enclosure (40) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The plane at which the body part (40a) and the end cover part (40b) are connected to each other coincides with a central plane (P) of the impeller (300), and the central plane (P) is perpendicular to the axis of the impeller (300).

10. A hydrogen circulation pump, characterized in that, include: The enclosure (40) according to any one of claims 1 to 9; The impeller (300) is housed in the cylindrical chamber (41); and A motor housed in the enclosure (40) has a drive shaft (130) capable of driving the impeller (300) to rotate in the cylindrical chamber (41); The impeller (300) cooperates with the end cap (40b) and the body (40a) to define a first flow channel (F1) and a second flow channel (F2) for hydrogen flow located on both sides of the impeller (300).

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